Question

Case Study: You are a student attending your first clinical rotation in a large hospital. You have been assigned a preceptor with whom you are having trouble working with. She will not let you do anything except observe, and therefore, you are not learning much or logging the cases that you need to graduate. You know that something has to be done to improve the situation, but what?

                Questions
Q1. Apply the principles of communication. How might you effectively communicate with your preceptor while explaining the problem?

Q2. What if she doesn't respond? what will be your next step?

Q3. You know that communicating and working as a team is essential in the OR. What can you do to work well with someone after there has been a conflict and or confrontation?

Answer 1

1. Applying the principles of effective communication the preceptee can be clear, concise, and compelling while stating her problem working with her preceptor. Effective communication with the preceptor is the necessary aspect to solve the problem. There should be enough clarity in stating the issue of learning by doing and not merely observing. It should be stated in a concise manner that observation is not as good as practicing. Finally the preceptee should be compelling in making her case so that her preceptor would allow her to practice rather than simply observing.

2. If preceptor does not respond, the next step would be to escalate issue to the nurse manager to advise the preceptor to change her mind or to get another preceptor to work with.

3. Communication and working as a team is essential in the OR, which becomes difficult with someone after there has been a conflict and/or confrontation. This difficulty can be overcome by effective communication based on the principles of effective communication.